Chippenham 2020 LLP. October 2014
Agricultural Land Classification Desktop Review
Land at Chippenham, Wiltshire
savills.co.uk
Agricultural Land Classification
Land at Chippenham, Wiltshire
Contents Summary 1 Introduction 2 Methodology 2 Baseline Conditions 3 Climate 4 Geology, Topography, and Soils 4 Agricultural Land Classification 5 Conclusion 7 Information Sources 8 Appendix 9
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Agricultural Land Classification
Land at Chippenham, Wiltshire
Summary
Savills (UK) Limited were instructed by Chippenham 2020 LLP to carry out a desktop assessment of the agricultural land quality of the site in Wiltshire. The site extends to approximately 255 hectares and sits in a ring fenced block to the East of Chippenham. The desktop assessment was completed by James Turner of Savills in 2014.
The consultant applied his extensive knowledge gained from an Honours Degree in Rural Enterprise and Land Management and studies towards the BASIS Certificate in Crop Protection, in addition to extensive experience in agricultural land classification in consideration of new developments.
This report sets out the probable Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) of the site, based on national published resources. No site specific survey has been carried out.
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Agricultural Land Classification
Land at Chippenham, Wiltshire
Introduction
The purpose of this report is to classify the land at Chippenham, Wiltshire, according to the extent to which its physical and chemical characteristics impose long term limitations on agricultural use. In this case, the classification is primarily based on a desktop review. Ashley Lilley of Savills Agribusiness met with Geoff Maidment and Neil Pointen on Monday 15th September 2014, who are the two farmers potentially most affected by the proposal.
The land in question centers on Grid Reference ST 93905 73183.
Climatological data was used to determine any overriding site limitations. The climatological data was cross referenced with geological surveys and the national 1:250,000 series ALC survey relevant to the site to substantiate the findings. The probable ALC grade is detailed on Drawing 1 (Appendix 1).
Other factors used for ALC grading, but which present no limitation at this site, are not included in this report.
Methodology
Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) is undertaken strictly in accordance with the Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales: Guidelines and criteria for grading the quality of agricultural land (Revised guidelines 1988 and Draft second revision 1996, MAFF, London).
The classification includes a desktop investigation to examine previously mapped soil types and to note the drift and solid geology. This included consultation of the Soil survey of England and Wales 1:250,000.
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Baseline Conditions
The Land Classification Map (1:250,000) published in 1988 by MAFF indicates that the land in question falls within grade 3a and 3b based on a search of DEFRA Magic Map (Appendix 2).
The DEFRA Soilscape information for the site indicates that four soil types are present in the area of the site (see Table 1).
Table 1 Soilscape Information ID Description Features 5 Freely draining lime rich loamy soils Texture: Loamy Drainage: Freely draining Fertility: Lime rich Main Land Cover: Arable and grassland 6 Freely draining slightly acid loamy soils Texture: Loamy Drainage: Freely draining Fertility: Low Main Land Cover: Arable and grassland 9 Lime-rich loamy and clayey soils with Texture: Clayey impeded drainage Drainage: Slightly impeded drainage Fertility: High Main Land Cover: Arable/some grassland 10 Freely draining slightly acid sandy soils Texture: Sandy Drainage: Freely draining Fertility: Low Main Land Cover: Arable 18 Slowly permeable seasonally wet Texture: Loamy slightly acid but base-rich loamy and Drainage: Impeded drainage clayey soils Fertility: Moderate Main Land Cover: Arable/grassland/some woodland http://www.landis.org.uk/soilscapes/soilguide.cfm
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Agricultural Land Classification
Land at Chippenham, Wiltshire
Climate
The climatological data in Table 2 shows the average temperature and rainfall for the site, from which the average number of field capacity days is calculated.
Table 2 Climatological Data Factor Units Value Altitude AOD m 40-75m Accumulated Temp. Day °C (Jan-June) 1450 Average Annual Rainfall mm 795 Field Capacity Days Days 177 Moisture Deficit - Wheat mm 99 Moisture Deficit - Potatoes mm 89 http://www.mapcoordinates.net/en http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/climate/gcr6m6d5t
Geology, Topography, and Soils
The land is situated to the East of Chippenham, Wiltshire. The river Avon intersects the site, which is predominantly level arable and grassland. Soils are variable across the site, with Wickham 3 and Evesham 3 dominating the East, Burlesdon in the West, and Fladbury 1 in the lower lying valley.
The Soils of the Southern Cotswolds names Hardenhuish, Langley, and Wyre Series as predominant in the valley bottom, with Denchworth series being present on the level ground to the East. Hardenhuish and Langley are gley soils with varying drainage qualities. Impeded drainage is the major limiting factor in land quality, with topsoil texture also presenting a limitation. Wyre series are heavy alluvial clays characterised by poor drainage. Wyre soils are considered to have low agricultural quality and may be subject to occasional surface flooding. Denchworth soils are usually clayey soils with impeded drainage, almost always form lower quality agricultural land. Further descriptions of the soils present on the site are included in Appendix 3.
Table 2 shows the distribution of land quality across the site. Approximately 85% of the land falls within grade 3b, while grade 2 and 3a form 1% and 12% of the site respectively. Therefore 13% of the land can be considered very good and good quality agricultural land according to MAFF guidelines.
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Agricultural Land Classification
Land at Chippenham, Wiltshire
Agricultural Land Classification
The principal source of information for desktop agricultural land classification is the 1983 national map produced by MAFF on a 1:250,000 scale. The map for this site shows the land to be grades 2 and 3.
The 1988 revised land classification map produced by MAFF further refines the grades as 2, 3a, and 3b (see Appendix 2).
Further data is available from 1995 as part of a specific survey for the North Wiltshire Local Plan. This survey gave site specific classification grades however these do not deviate from the grading shown on the plan in appendix 1.
On the basis of the available national land classification resources the approximate areas of each ALC grade are as follows:
Table 2 ALC Grades by Area Hectares % Grade 1 - -
Grade 2 3.5 1
Grade 3a 31 12
Grade 3b 223 85
Other Land 5 2 Total 262.5 100
The boundaries of each land grade cannot be considered completely accurate without a site specific survey. Therefore there may be a more significant area of grade 3b land than that shown on the 1988 map.
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Agricultural Land Classification
Land at Chippenham, Wiltshire
The descriptions of each grade and sub-grade of agricultural land as prescribed by MAFF in the revised guidance are shown in table 3. Grades 1, 2, and 3a are of the highest quality and therefore they generally receive a greater level of protection from development that grades 3b and below.
Table 3 ALC Grades - Descriptions Grade Description Excellent quality agricultural land with no or very minor 1 limitations to agricultural use. Very good quality agricultural land with minor limitations 2 which affect crop yield, cultivation, or harvesting. Good quality agricultural land capable of producing 3a moderate to high yields of a narrow range of arable crops or moderate yields of a wider range of crops. Moderate quality agricultural land with severe limitations 3b which significantly restrict the range of crops and/or level of yields. Poor quality agricultural land with severe limitations which 4 significantly restrict the range of crops and/or level of yields. Very poor quality agricultural land with very severe 5 limitations which restrict use to permanent pasture or rough grazing, except for occasional pioneer forage crops.
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Agricultural Land Classification
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Conclusion
There is adequate information available from national resources to determine the probable agricultural land classification of the site in question without the need for a site specific survey.
The initial 1983 MAFF 1:250,000 scale map classifies the site as grade 2 and 3 agricultural land and the revised 1:50,000 scale map in 1995 gives more detailed split between grades and distinguishes between grade 3a and 3b.
The MAFF descriptions of grade 2 and 3a agricultural land state that it is of very good and good quality. Grade 2 is described as being able to grow a wide range of crops with minor limitations, while grade 3a land is able to produce moderate to high yields across a narrow range of crops. Clearly the grade 2 and 3a land forming 13% of the site in question is of the highest agricultural value.
In this instance the information available from national sources is adequate to determine the probable agricultural land quality of the site. A site survey would reveal more detailed boundaries of each grade and sub- grade, however the grade 2 and 3a land shown on the national maps form 13% of the total, which is a small proportion of the overall site.
A report published in 2007 by Reading Agricultural Consultants, identified seven individual units of land within the revised site area. In 2007 these sites were used for agricultural and non-agricultural purposes. This report considers agricultural land only and therefore Ashley Lilley updated the findings of the 2007 report in September 2014. The details of individual holdings, an impact assessment for each, and suggested mitigation measures for the site as a whole are included in appendix 5.
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Agricultural Land Classification
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Information Sources
Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales. Guidance and criteria for grading the quality of agricultural land. (MAFF, 1988)
Agricultural Land Classification of England and Wales. Guidance and criteria for grading the quality of agricultural land. Second Revision (MAFF, 1996) Draft.
Soil Survey Field Handbook. Technical Monograph No.5 Soil Survey of England and Wales (1976).
Climatological Data for Agricultural Land Classification. (Met Office, 1989).
Agricultural Land Classification Map. 1:250,000 (MAFF,1983)
British Geological Survey. 1:50,000 National Map.
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Agricultural Land Classification
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Appendix
1. Land Classification Map 1983: Site Specific Data
2. Land Classification Map 1988: Site Specific Data
3. Soil Series Descriptions
4. Site Plan – Agricultural Units
5. Agricultural Impact Assessment
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Agricultural Land Classification
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Appendix 1
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Agricultural Land Classification
Land at Chippenham, Wiltshire
Appendix 2
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Appendix 3
Badsey 1 Association
Typical brown calcareous earths. Well drained calcareous and non-calcareous fine loamy soils over limestone gravel. Some deep find loamy soils and fine loamy soils over gravel, and similar but shallower soils affected by groundwater. River terrace gravel.
Burlesdon Association
Stagnogleyic argillic brown earths. Deep fine loamy soils with slowly permeable subsoils and slight seasonal waterlogging associated with deep coarse loamy soils variously affected by groundwater. Some slowly permeable seasonally waterlogged loamy over clayey soils. Landslips and associated terrain locally. Eocene and Jurassic loam and clay.
Denchworth Association
Pelo-stagnogley soils. Slowly permeable seasonally waterlogged clayey soils with similar fine loamy over clayey soils. Some fine loamy over clayey soils with only slight seasonal waterlogging and some slowly permeable calcareous clayey soils. Landslips and associated irregular terrain locally. Jurassic and Cretaceous clay.
Fladbury 1 Association
Pelo-alluvial gley soils. Stoneless clayey, fine silty and fine loamy soils affected by groundwater. Flat land. Risk of flooding. River Alluvium.
Wickham 3 Association
Typical stagnogley soils. Slowly permeable seasonally waterlogged fine loamy over clayey and coarse loamy over clayey soils, and similar more permeable soils with slight waterlogging. Some deep coarse loamy soils affected by groundwater. Landslips and irregular terrain locally. Drift over Mesozoic and Tertiary clay and loam.
Hardenhuish
Surface-water gley soils; fine loamy over clayey on Kellaways Clay. Poorly drained Soils of the Hardenhuish series are quite widely distributed west of the Avon between Malmesbury and Broughton Gifford and extend across the river near Chippenham. They are on Kellaways Clay which normally forms a minor scarp or outlying knolls (e.g. Lanhill) rising above flat Cornbrash country. The soils are on gentle or moderate slopes rising to about 90m (300ft) north of Chippenham where they are capped by Kellaways Sands. South-west of Lacock faulting throws the Kellaways strata against underlying beds of the Cornbrash and Forest Marble and there is no obvious break of slope to indicate the change in parent
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material. Where the Forest Marble is fine sandy (Hinton Sands) the soils on the two formations are similar and the boundary between Martock and Hardenhuish soils is ill defined.
Fragments of angular weathered flint in upper layers confirm the once greater extent of drift deposits, presumably higher level terraces of the Avon (or Thames) drainage system. In some places part of the loamy element in the soil could have been contributed from such sources.
The Kellaways Clay consists mainly of a grey fine sandy and silty clay, prominently orange mottled and veined with light grey or white. Unlike the Oxford clay above it rarely contains primary or secondary carbonates or gypsum. The proportion of line sand to silt varies from place to place and usually increases towards the top of the strata where the Kellaways Sands crop out.
Most profiles in this mapping unit are in the poorly drained class although there are local occurrences of very poorly drained soils in flush sites and lower slopes often occupied by small woods, as on the west side of Draycott Park.
Hardenhuish soils are usually artificially drained although the condition of many tile systems is poor and modern improvements are needed for higher productivity. Old parkland woods and commons are a feature of these soils, as they are of all wet land.
Profiles consist of Ag, Bgl, Bg2 and BCg or Cg horizons. Ag horizons are of dark grey or dark greyish brown loam to clay loam in which root channels and some aggregate faces are coated with rusty deposits. This friable layer with medium subangular blocky structure merges into a grey to greyish brown loam or clay loam subsurface horizon of coarse blocky structure. In this horizon distinct strong brown or reddish yellow find mottles are always present within coarse blocky to prismatic peds and manganiferous concretions usually occur. The subsoil becomes finer textured with increasing depth but the grey colour and mottling continue below 90 cm at which depth fissuring usually dies out and weak laminations of the parent material replace the prismatic aggregates.
In typical soils clay content increases from about 25 per cent, in the surface to over 40 per cent, in the subsoil, while fine sand content gradually decreases with depth from 40 to less than 25 per cent.
Hardenhuish soils are distinguished from those of the Denchworth series by their fine loamy textures in surface and subsurface horizons to at least 45 cm and absence of calcium carbonate in the subsoil.
Included in the mapping unit are Denchworth soils where fine loamy textures are limited to the upper 30 cm or less. Profiles of this character were noted on Malmesbury Common and around Startley.
Other inclusions in the mapping unit are profiles grading to Langley series in which the fine sand content in upper layers is around 45-50 per cent, giving fine sandy loamy textures.
Around Lacock there are poorly drained soils in which the loamy upper horizons are of uncertain origin, they could be in situ on Kellaways Clay or developed in loamy drift over the clay; where the flint content suggests the latter they are assigned to the Holwell series.
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Langley
Surface-water gley soils; loamy over Forest Marble and Kellaways Beds sand and clay. Imperfectly to poorly drained. Langley soils are best developed on Kellaways Sand between Chippenham and Sutton Benger, Kellaways itself lying just east of the map margin. Smaller patches cap low hills north-west of Chippenham and between Sutton Benger and Malmesbury. Two small areas were mapped at Whitley near Melksham. On Hinton Sand (Forest Marble) this unit is found around Grittleton, Badminton and Shipton Moyne, usually capping low rises in the undulating country covered by Forest Marble clay.
Separates of Langley soils adjoin gley soils of the Hardenhuish series, a rather diffuse boundary, or are surrounded by gleyed calcareous soils of the Evesham series.
The sandy stratum in which the soils are formed is rarely more than 1 metre thick, consisting of yellowish brown fine sandy loam over Kellaways Clay or very fine sandy loam passing down into Forest Marble clay. In neither formation are the sands and clays interbedded in the sense of thin, repeating layers; in the Forest Marble in particular the sands are sporadic lenticular masses within the clay.
The variable thickness of sand over impervious substratum and the flattish ground they occupy are responsible for varying degrees of drainage impedance. The most extensive soils have a profile morphology indicating imperfect to poorly drained conditions (Langley series) but moderately well drained profiles are distributed as diffuse inclusions throughout the unit (Longworth series). Better drainage conditions around Langley Gate Farm, where a small area of Atrium soils is separated, must be attributed to the thicker sand at this point.
The farmed land includes much rushy permanent grass and many fields have old ridge and furrow systems but some larger farms around Kington Langley and Sutton Benger have cereals and reseeded grassland. There are several woods of moderate size such as Birds Marsh and Stanley Woods near Langley Burrell and others around Seagry.
Langley series profiles have fine sandy loam A and Bgl horizons passing down into prominently mottled fine sandy clay loam Bg2 and BCg horizons.
The Ag horizon under grassland is dark grey and is distinctly mottled with rusty deposits. The Bgl horizon between 15 and 30 cm contains topsoil in worm channels and as washings on the faces of weakly developed blocky peds. Although superficially of light yellowish brown, and crushing to this colour on the auger, it is weakly variegated and contains much greyish brown and strong brown mottling. The subsoil Bg2 horizon has a moderate structure of coarse blocks or prisms the faces of which are light grey or very pale brown and the interiors prominently mottled with strong brown or reddish yellow. Coarse soft black manganiferous concretions are common throughout the B horizons. Flints are present in the upper layers of profiles lower down the dipslope (below about 90 m O.D.) from Malmesbury Common to Chippenham.
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Appendix 3
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Appendix 5
A 2007 report by Reading Agricultural Consultants commented on a total of 12 units which were present on the site. Since the report was published a change has been made to the site area and therefore based on the original plans, there are a total of 7 units. The 7 remaining units, as described in the 2007 report, however with updated land areas, are as follows:
Table 4 Unit Information Approximate Unit Use (as at 2007) Area (Hectares) 5 70 Livestock/Arable Farm 6 78 Dairy Farm/Equine 7 N/A Non-Agricultural 8 16 Let Farm/Equine 9 52 Grazing Farm 10 2.5 Equine 11 38 Arable Farm 12 N/A Sports Field
Ashley Lilley of Savills inspected the units numbered 5 to 12 on the afternoon of Monday 15th September 2014. His comments provide an update to the information provided in the Reading Agricultural Consultants report of October 2007. The units numbered 1 to 4 are not relevant to the planning application in question and are therefore not referred to here.
In addition to inspecting the majority of the land, where he had permission to do so Ashley also Interviewed the key land occupiers, these being Geoff Maidment (Unit 5 – New Leaze Farm) and Neil Pointon (Unit 6 – Hardens Farm). Where he did not have permission to go onto the units he viewed them from the public highway.
Unit 5
Geoff Maidment’s family own New Leaze Farm, and Geoff currently lives there. Geoff farms in partnership with his brother and nephews who live on a separate holding owned by the family. The farm extends to approximately 70 hectares. Geoff confirmed that the farm boundary shown on the RAC plan is correct. The farm is predominantly laid to grass (25 acres of maize are grown for silage production), the farm is well managed, however none of the grass fields have been re-seeded for nearly ten years, so grass production will be on a declining trend.
The farm buildings consist of livestock housing and fodder storage. Geoff commented that although the livestock buildings are adequate for their needs, it is increasingly difficult to access the buildings with large, modern farm machinery.
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If New Leaze Farm is developed Geoff will retire and his nephews will carry on running their other holding, together with additional rented land, giving them a sustainable business of 300-350 acres. Further land could also be purchased or rented to enhance that business.
Unit 6
Hardens Farm is owned by Wiltshire County Council. The tenant is Neil Pointon. Since the time of the RAC report in 2007 the land identified as Unit 9 (the house and buildings have been sold separately) and part of Unit 8 (annotated as Z in appendix 4) have been added to the tenancy of Hardens Farm. Mr Pointon’s main farming enterprise is a dairy herd of 110-120 cows. All of the farmland is laid to grass (permanent pasture) and is used for grazing by the dairy herd and making into silage, to provide winter forage. There is a significant range of traditional and modern farm buildings. Mr Pointon and his wife live in the farmhouse.
The farm is well managed, although Mr Pointon commented that the buildings used by the dairy herd are at the end of their working life and it is unlikely that the County Council will reinvest in the dairy unit. Mr Pointon has a life time tenancy, which means there is no provision for a successor to take over the holding. He is 68 and commented that he would definitely retire from farming if the land is developed.
Mr Pointon was not aware of the Lowland Grazing Marsh environmental designation referred to in the RAC report. The cheese making operation referred to in the RAC report was operated by another tenant and ceased some years ago.
Mr Pointon commented that he has to deal with some ‘urban fringe interference’ primarily from the housing estate to the south. This includes walkers straying from footpaths, dogs allowed to roam loose and gates being left open. There is also encroachment from the adjoining housing estate in the form of rubbish thrown over the boundary fences and hedges.
Mr Pointon does not operate a livery enterprise (as suggested in the RAC report), however he does own one horse.
The single field which borders London Road and Stanley Lane is incorrectly identified as part of Hardens Farm in the RAC report. We understand the land is owned by Wiltshire CC, but has not been farmed for some years. On inspection from the road the land was seen to be in grass, but overgrown.
Unit 7
The land is question is part of Abbeyfield School (East of the lane) and a sports field (West of the lane).
Unit 8
We understand the land to the South East of Stanley Lane is occupied by Mr Tony Crew who lives at Gate Farm. The land is used for grazing by horses on a livery basis. A new vehicular access to a sports field located on Unit 12 has been created.
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The two small fields to the North of Stanley Lane have recently been purchased by Mr Crew’s nephew (shown on plan as X and Y in appendix 4). They are used for grazing.
Unit 9
The land is now used by the tenant of Harden’s Farm (see Unit 6 above).
Unit 10
We understand the 2 residential properties and the associated land do not form part of the planning application.
Unit 11
We understand the land is owned by Wiltshire CC. The land is used for growing arable crops. At the date of inspection the crop had been harvested and the land cultivated in preparation for re-planting. We understand the land has been re-let to several local arable farmers in recent years, usually for a term of 1 to 2 years. We suspect the land is off lying to the current tenant’s main holding.
Unit 12
The holding is non agricultural and used as a sports field. An access has been created across part of Unit 8.
Potential Impact Assessment
We assume that all agricultural activities would cease on the land in question as a result of the proposed development. In addition to the holdings listed in Table 2 of the RAC report, we also believe Unit 8 (South) would not be classified as a commercial agricultural holding.
Although Units 5 and 6 are commercial holdings, the occupiers have made clear their intention to retire from farming if the development goes ahead.
Unit 11 has been let on series of short term agreements to various farmers who are based at off lying holdings. We therefore assume the land is farmed as ancillary to the main holding and if it were no longer available, would not have a detrimental effect on the core farming business.
Mitigation
The owners of Unit 5 will be compensated by virtue of them selling their land for development, which will fund Geoff Maidment’s retirement and allow his nephews to invest in their own business.
Neil Pointon will in all likelihood, retire in the short term, which may well be within the time frame of the proposed development going ahead.
The proposed development will abut existing development to the South (part) and West. The River Avon and a smaller tributary will provide a ‘buffer’ to the North, and part of the Western boundary of North Leaze Farm. The
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majority of the Southern boundary will be along London Road. This should minimise adverse affects on neighbouring farmers/landowners. Where the proposed development would abut neighbouring farmers/landowners (primarily to the East of Units 5, 9 & 11) any impact can be minimised by:
1. The provision of planted margins between the development and adjacent agricultural land (there are mature hedgerows along most of the boundaries in question)
2. Limiting residential development to areas away from open agricultural land i.e. concentrating the residential use to the core of the development area and locating the soft uses to the periphery of the areas
3. Providing appropriate recreational facilities within the development to seek to reduce the incentive to trespass onto neighboring farmland
4. Providing appropriate rights of way from and around the development
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Unit 6 Unit 8